This invention relates to the field of sewing, more particularly to sewing machines, and more particularly to sewing machine accessories.
A sewing machine known as a serger simultaneously sews and trims a seam between two or more pieces of fabric. The serger typically has a T-shaped based which forms a work surface for aligning and feeding the materials to be sewn under the sewing and trimming head. The main body, or cabinet, of the serger, which includes the mechanical componentry which reciprocates the sewing needle and actuates the cutting head, is located over the upright portion of the T. The sewing head overhangs the intersection of the upright and crossbar portions of the T, and the top of the crossbar forms a table for feeding and aligning the fabric under the sewing and cutting head. Alternatively, the base may be in the shape of an L, and the serger cabinet locates over the upright portion of the L, and the base of the L forms a table for feeding and aligning the fabric and on the sewing and cutting head.
During operation, the serger operator feeds the material to be sewn under the sewing head, and the head stitches a seam and cuts away any scrap which overhangs or interferes with the seam. The scrap exits the sewing head at the intersection of the crossbar and upright, and falls over the side of the serger base to the table or floor below. The scrap may take the form of long thin lengths of material, or may exit the serger as smaller pieces of fabric.
The loose scrap is commonly of a size which is easily ingested by infants and pets, which is potentially dangerous. The scrap could cause choking when ingested, or could contain toxic elements which could poison children or pets. The scrap can also be a nuisance when it reaches the floor, because the elderly or infirm may have difficulty bending down to pick it off of the floor. Further, it may tend to jam in the heads of some vacuum cleaners or floor sweepers.